Government of Baghdad - Types of Governments

Types of Governments

Baghdad’s governments can be divided into three categories with different – although sometimes overlapping – responsibilities: Political subdivisions, political entities and service entities.

• Political subdivisions are the actual geographic boundaries. They often have their own head and are sometimes – but not always – associated with a political entity, a service entity or both.
• Political entities set the priorities and make decisions for their respective areas. Members are either elected directly or appointed by elected officials. They also directly and indirectly appoint many of the leaders of political subdivisions and service entities.
• Service entities provide the technical expertise and the resources necessary to keep the city running. Employees in these departments are the technocrats who keep the city running regardless of who’s in power, although the heads of these groups are political appointees.

The cooperation of all governments is usually required for the successful completion of major projects. Political entities must provide the necessary approval, while service entities must execute the proposal. One or both must provide the funding or access to the funding. This can limit the efficacy of any one government official.